Jackets sign Wennberg to six-year contract

Wennberg posted NHL career highs in 2016-17, leading the team in assists and multi-point games

The Columbus Blue Jackets have signed center Alexander Wennberg to a six-year contract through the 2022-23 NHL season, club General Manager Jarmo Kekalainen announced today. As is club policy, terms were not disclosed.

Wennberg, 22, posted NHL career highs in 2016-17, recording 13 goals and 46 assists for 59 points and a +9 plus/minus rating in 80 regular season games. He led Columbus in assists and multi-point games (14, tied) and finished second in points. His 46 assists were 15th-T most in the NHL and the fourth-most in a single season in Blue Jackets history. The 6-2, 196-pound center made his NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs debut in the 2017 postseason and recorded an assist in five contests vs. Pittsburgh.

"We are excited to have signed Alexander to a long-term contract through the 2022-23 season, " said Kekalainen. "He has shown steady improvement throughout his young NHL career and is coming off a very good 2016-17 campaign. At just 22-years-old, he has tremendous opportunity to become an integral player for our organization for years to come."

The Stockholm, Sweden native has recorded 25-94-119 with 45 penalty minutes in 217 career NHL games with the Blue Jackets since making his NHL debut in 2014-15. He led the club in assists and ranked sixth in points with 8-32-40 and two penalty minutes in 69 games during the 2015-16 campaign. He led Jackets rookies in assists and games played and ranked second in goals and points with 4-16-20 and 22 penalty minutes in 68 games in 2014-15.

Wennberg spent the 2013-14 campaign with Frolunda HC in the Swedish Hockey League and was a finalist for the SHL's Rookie of the Year after finishing second on his club in goals with 16-5-21 and eight penalty minutes in 50 games.

Columbus' first round pick, 14th overall, in the 2013 NHL Draft, he has represented Sweden in various international competition. He posted 1-7-8 in eight games for the country at the 2016 IIHF World Championships and won silver medals at the 2012 IIHF U18 World Championships as well as the 2013 and 2014 IIHF World Junior Championships.